Ireland Women's team confirmed for Wales encounter

Head Coach Tom Tierney has confirmed the Ireland Women's side to play Wales this Saturday at the Cardiff Arms Park at 11.30am in the fourth round of the Women's Six Nations Championship.

The starting team shows three personnel and one positional change to the side that defeated France 13-10 in Donnybrook in Round 3.

Ulster centre Claire McLaughlin misses out, having sustained an ankle injury in training and her place will be filled by Sene Naoupu, who was involved at the USA 7s in vegas at the weekend.

Fellow Ulster players Nikki Caughey (pictured above) and Ilse van Staden are named among the replacements.

Wingers Alison Miller and Hannah Tyrrell return to the side for the France game; both of whom were also involved with the Ireland Women's 7s in Las Vegas.

The final change to the squad sees Kim Flood move to fullback, having played on the wing in the France game.

The forwards are unchanged, with Lindsay Peat, Leah Lyons and Ailis Egan forming the front-row partnership for the fourth game in succession.

The second-row will see Old Belvedere duo Marie-Louise Reilly and Sophie Spence pack down together, and in the back-row, Number 8 and captain Paula Fitzpatrick is again joined by flankers Ciara Griffin and Claire Molloy.

Speaking ahead of the side departing for Cardiff, Tierney said;

"The squad has been developing nicely over the course of the Championship, and while it was great to get the win against France in the last game, we haven't dwelled on that and have firmly turned our attention to the challenge the Welsh will give us.

We are expecting Wales to be very much up for this game and there is set to be a big crowd in the Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday.

With that in mind, it will be important that the players stay fully focused on their jobs and that we go out on Saturday ready to perform.

We'd also encourage any Ireland fans that are in town for the men's game on Friday evening and are still in Cardiff on Saturday to come to the game and give the team their support."